In the days before electricity, oil was a very valuable commodity, necessary for lighting and heating a house. As such, the theft of oil, particularly from temples and shrines, could lead to punishment via reincarnation as a yōkai.[citation needed]
In modern media the abura-sumashi is often depicted as, "a squat creature with a straw-coat covered body and a potato-like or stony head,"[citation needed] an appearance inspired by the artwork of Shigeru Mizuki.[citation needed]
